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York fireworks show tonight at Sovereign Bank Stadium

By HANNAH SAWYER Daily Record/Sunday News

Updated:
07/04/2013 09:05:45 AM EDT

York, PA -

Dark skies over the York Expo Center tonight will signal a shift in a Fourth of July tradition for York County.

In November, the Cultural Alliance of York County announced the annual fireworks display would relocate, after more than 35 years in West York, to a York location at Sovereign Bank Stadium. But with just days to go before the show, the move drew a sudden backlash on social media.

"Another great tradition dies," wrote one reader on the York Daily Record/Sunday News Facebook page.

For an office of two people, however, the event had become too large to handle, said Mary Anne Winkelman, vice president of the Cultural Alliance. The Cultural Alliance took sole responsibility for producing the event five years ago, after long-time backer, The Bon-Ton, pulled out.

After three large sponsors pulled out of the 2013 event, the future of the event was in doubt, but the Cultural Alliance salvaged the show by forging a new partnership with the York Revolution.

"It was either us or nothing," Eric Menzer, the Revs' president and general manager, said. "We took a look at the event and the sponsorship that was involved and decided that we could do it."

The Cultural Alliance raised more than $37,000 for the event, a little more than half of what it was required to raise to hold the event previously. Menzer said the Revs brought in more sponsors to cover additional costs.

Adding a ticket price to the event to close the budget gap was never an option, Winkelman said. The event is still free to the public.

"It was never for-charge admission. We wanted to keep it that way," she said.

She said the move to the stadium from the York Expo Center made sense because there was a "beautiful" facility with security and seating readily available.

"To bring it downtown was very exciting," she said.

Despite the infrastructure already in place, concerns about traffic, parking and safety dominated comments on the Daily Record/Sunday News' Facebook page. Many readers said they wouldn't attend at the new location, and surrounding neighborhoods are anticipating a heavy influx of cars and pedestrians.

"Where's everybody going to go?" Georgia Davis, a North York resident said. "We don't have places like West York had to sit around. ... There's no real big open spaces."

Menzer said the Revs will work with city police to provide traffic and crowd control. He said security plans to institute extra bag checks and that parking will be dispersed throughout the city. All street and garage parking will be free. All stadium parking lots will also be open and free of charge.

The city police are "more comfortable with the ability to move people out (at the stadium) than at the fairgrounds," Menzer said.

It will be among the biggest events held by the stadium but still comparable to some of the things the organization has put on in the past, Menzer said. The Atlantic League All-Star Game in 2011 drew record attendance, and Menzer believes the fireworks will draw a similar number of visitors.

The long-term future of the event could hinge on whether or not the Revs are ready for the crowds.

Winkelman said the Cultural Alliance is looking to shift responsibility for the event to someone else and expects the Revs will play a bigger role going forward.

"We're not trying to make a fortune on this event. We're a for-profit business, but we also realize we're part of this community," Menzer said.

As an anchor of the downtown, the Revs have a responsibility to the community, and "this is the kind of thing we're good at," he said.

Fourth of July family portraits aid cancer patient

Carol Brown, a two-time cancer survivor, and her business partner, Lawrence Tyler are hoping to help out a friend at the Fourth of July display at Sovereign Bank Stadium.

Brown and Tyler will offer 5x7 family portraits for $10 during the celebration. The portraits will be immediately available and proceeds will go toward cancer awareness, Brown said. A portion will also go to Tony Jones, a William Penn Senior High School graduate and the school's current track coach, who was diagnosed with rectal cancer.

Jones is "just a nice, likeable person," Brown said, and his athletes "look up to him. He keeps them on the right path."

Brown said she and Tyler have known Jones since high school, and she hoping for a lot of support for their efforts from the community.

"Everybody just loves Tony," she said. "He's overwhelmed that people are behind him so much."

If you go

What: Fourth of July celebration

When: 6 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday

Where: Sovereign Bank Stadium

Cost: Free

Details: Events on tap include a car show, a showing of Madagascar III and a concert by the Jazz Ambassadors of the U.S. Army Field Band. Fireworks will close the show. Free parking will also be available on city streets and garages and at stadium parking lots. Picnic blankets are welcome, but no lawn chairs are allowed. Visit www.yorkrevolution.com for more information.